Deadline: March 23, 2020
Applications are open for the Commonwealth Medical Fellowships 2020. The Commonwealth Medical Fellowships are for mid-career medical staff from low and middle income countries, to enhance their clinical skills.
Funded by the UK Department for International Development (DFID), Commonwealth Medical Fellowships enable talented and motivated individuals to gain the knowledge and skills required for sustainable development.
These fellowships are offered under one of the CSC’s six themes:
- Science and technology for development
- Strengthening health systems and capacity
- Promoting global prosperity
- Strengthening global peace, security and governance
- Strengthening resilience and response to crises
- Access, inclusion and opportunity
Scholarship
Each fellowship provides:
- Approved airfare from your home country to the UK and return at the end of your award (the CSC will not reimburse the cost of fares for dependents, nor usually the cost of journeys made before your award is finally confirmed)
- Research support grant, payable to your host university hospital
- Stipend (living allowance) at the rate of £1,696 per month, or £2,104 per month for those at university hospitals in the London metropolitan area (rates quoted at 2019-2020 levels)
- Reimbursement of the fee for a single English language test and the fee for General Medical Council (GMC) registration
- Warm clothing allowance
- Study travel grant towards the costs of approved travel within the UK
- If you are widowed, divorced, or a single parent, child allowance of £476 per month for the first child, and £117 per month for the second and third child under the age of 16, if you are accompanied by your children and they are living with you at the same address in the UK
- If you declare a disability, a full assessment of your needs and eligibility for additional financial support will be offered
Eligibility
- Applicant must be a citizen of or have been granted refugee status by an eligible Commonwealth country , or be a British Protected Person
- Be permanently resident in an eligible Commonwealth country eligible Commonwealth country
- Have an academic appointment in an eligible Commonwealth country at one of the medical schools by the World Directory of Medical Schools, employed by a hospital affiliated to the Medical School where you have the academic appointment
- Be available to start your fellowship in the UK between October-December 2020
- Have qualified as a doctor before October 1, 2005
- Have qualified at a medical school recognised by the World Directory of Medical Schools
- Have met the English language requirements of the General Medical Council (GMC) by August 2020
- Have verified your primary medical qualification independently by the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG) for General Medical Council (GMC) registration by August 31, 2020
- Your award is undertaken at an approved UK university hospital
Selection Process
Once received by the CSC, each candidate’s application will be considered firstly by the CSC’s Medical Awards Administrator with expertise in the subject area concerned, and then by the CSC selection committee in competition with other candidates.
Applications will be considered according to the following selection criteria:
- Academic merit of the candidate
- Quality of the proposal (minimum 200 words)
- Potential impact of the work on the development of the candidate’s home country
Application
Your application must be submitted to and endorsed by the Dean of the Medical School which you have the academic appointment. The CSC will not accept any applications that are not submitted via the CSC’s online application system.
You must provide the following supporting documentation by 16:00 (BST) on April 14, 2020 in order for your application to be eligible for consideration:
- Proof of citizenship or refugee status; copy of your valid passport (or national ID card) showing your photograph, date of birth, and country of citizenship – uploaded to the online application system
- Full university transcripts and certificates detailing the dates of qualification for your primary medical degree – uploaded to the online application system
- Academic reference from the Head of your Teaching Hospital Department outlining how the skills gained are required. All references are to be submitted directly by the referees to the online application system (referees will be sent an email request)
- An Endorsement by the Dean of the Medical School at which you have the academic appointment confirming your academic appointment submitted directly by the Dean to the online application system (the Dean will be sent an email request)
- Supporting statement from your first choice proposed supervisor in the UK university hospital – submitted directly to the CSC (supervisors will be sent an email request)
For more information, see T & Cs and visit Commonwealth Medical Fellowships.
